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8 LL —————_—— FLUCTUATIONS OF WATER LEVEL ON LAKE ERIE. The Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, has issued a report entitled “Wind Velocity, and Fluctuations - of Water Level on Lake Erie,” by Alfred J. Henry, Pro- fessor of Meteorology from data collated by Norman B. Conger, Inspector and Marine Agent, Weather Bureau, De- troit, and prepared under the direction of Willis L. Moore, Chief U. S. Weather Bureau. On the subject of physical features the report from which we take the following excerpts states that: “Lake Erie, the most southern of the Great Lakes, has for its greatest length about 250 miles, and its greatest width 6c miles. The total area of the lake is about 10,000 square miles. venience of description it may be divided into three basins, viz., western, main, and eastern. The western basin has an area of about 1,200 square miles, and comprises all that portion west of the islands. ‘The bed of this basin is comparatively level and the average depth of water is about 30 feet (9.1 meters). the main or middle basin has an area of about 6,700 square miles and comprises that portion of the lake between the islands on the west and the narrows between Long Point and Erie on the east. The main basin has a shelving bottom, the depth increasing gradually to about 80 feet (24.3 meters). The eastern basin has an area of about 2,100 square miles and comprises that portion of the lake east of the narrows. ‘The greatest depth in the lake, 180 feet (55 meters), is found in this basin off Long Point. “The disturbances of level on Lake Erie, on account of the shallowness of the water at both ends of the lake, con- stitute at times a serious menace to navigation. The United States Engineer Corps, in charge of the survey and improvement of the Great Lakes, has maintained for many years a system of tridaily eye observations of the level of the water of the several lakes. During quite recent years automatic gauges have been put in operation on Lake Erie, and also on the connecting rivers between Lakes Huron and Erie. “The surface of the lake is never in absolute repose. The fact is impressed upon one by a mere glance at the diagrams. ‘The effects of a light breeze is to disturb the smooth surface of the water and to produce minute waves Or corrugations in the surface film which disappear im- mediately upon the remoyal of the disturbing cause. As the velocity of the wind increases, small waves are pro- duced uniformly over the surface of the water. If now the whole surface of the lake be subjected to a wind blow- ing uniformly in the direction of its longer axis the sur- face waters will be pushed along inthe direction of the wind, as shown by Sir John Murray in his observations of temperature in the Scottish lochs. It is extremely doubt- ful, however, owing to the great length of Lake Erie, whether water is actually transferred from one end to the other, but there can be no doubt of the fact that, under the influences of strong winds, the particles of water have a ace of translation and effect a permanent change of place. : “Tt seems probable that the first effect of a strong wind upon the waters of the lake is to transfer from one end toward the other sufficient water to disturb the condition of hydrostatic equilibrium which existed before the wind began. Shortly after the maximum force of the wind has been exerted the lake tends to return toa state of stable equi- librium. The water that has been piled up on the leeward shore of the lake will immediately recede, although the velocity of the wind may continue high for several hours after the water falls. A condition of stable equilibrium is reached by a series of rockings of the water of the whole lake about a nodal line passing through the center of the lake, the water at either end rising and falling alter- nately until a condition of rest is attained. As a matter of fact the tockings do not continue uninterruptedly until the lake comes to rest, since the wind in the cold season gener- ally becomes sufficiently strong a day or so after the storm has passed to overcome them. If, however, the winds are light the lake will continue to rock until equilibrium is restored. A good example of continued rocking is shown in the oscillations of September 12, 13,14, and 15, 1900. “The storm of November 21, 1900, was the most severe of any experienced during the year. The wind at Buf- falo attained a maximum velocity of 80 miles per hour (35.7 meters per second) from the west at 1.37 p. m., and continued to blow at an average of over 60 miles per hour (26.8 meters per second) until nearly 8 p.m. ‘The level of the lake rose sharply and the water in the canal backed up so that it reached the streets in the south portion of the city. The rise began at 8 a. m, when the wind had at- tained an average velocity of 36 miles per hour (16.1 meters per second) and continued until 4 p.m. At that time the lake level had risen 8.4 feet (2.5 meters) above the stage at 8 a.m. ‘This extreme height was long main- tained; the water began to fall shortly after 4 p. m. and continued falling as rapidly as it had previously risen, so that by midnight the stage was 2 inches (50 millimeters) lower than at 8 a.m. The oscillation was completed in sixteen hours. The reflex wave that began immediately after the primary wave had subsided reached a moderate height only, viz., 2 feet (0.61 meter) above zero. tee Oh level of the lake at Amherstburg did not begin to fall sharply until 10 a. m.,; when the stage of water was 22 ) i i at for con- « <>: " : ey Ame contour gi its bottom, is such that. for c - Kiln Crossing (mouth of Detroit river) may be fraught -was concerned, it was liable for THE MARINE RECORD. inches (0.56 meter) above zero. The fall continued until 4 p. m., reaching a stage of 33 inches (0.82 meter) below zero, a range of 4 feet 7 inches (1.38 meters). The rise at Amherstburg began at 5 p. m., nearly an hour after the fall had begun at Buffalo, and the water rose as sharply as it had fallen, passing beyond the initial stage and reaching a height of 34 inches (0.86 meter) above zero, This oscillation was completed at Amherstburg in sixteen hours. The extreme difference in level between the two ends of the lake at any one time was 13 ft. and 1 inch (3.98 meters). “In addition to the great seiches of stormy weather there are numerous small fair-weather seiches, especially in the warm season. ‘The amplitude of the latter does not vary much from 8 to 12 inches, yet a variation of even that amount in the depth cf water in the channel at the Lime with danger’ to the larger vessels. “Tn conclusion, it may be remarked that the small seiche is not of great practical importance. While it prevails, the water in the channel at the mouth of the Detroit river, opposite Amberstburg. alternately falls and rises by emounts varying from 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters). So small a variation in a channel of good depth would not be noticed, but in a channel where inches are as important as feet ordinarily, a variation of 6 inches is at times a serions matter to the heavier draft vessels. For this and other reasons, the United States Engineer Corps maintains at all times a system of observations of depth of water in the channel and bulletins the result for the information of passing vessels. “During the prevalence of a great seiche the water. in JULY 10, 1902 FISCAL YEAR’S SHIPBUILDINGIN THE UNITED STATES. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1902, the Bureau ef Navigation reports that 1,657 vessels of 473,981 gross tons were built in the United: States and officially num- bered, compared with 1,709 vessels of 489,616 tons for the previous fiscal. year. The decrease compared with last year is in sail vessels and canal boats, barges, etc. This year’s new sail ton- nage is 101,072 tons; last year’s, 128,099 tons. ‘This year’s new canal boats, barges, etc., aggregate 57,502 tons; last year’s, 88,331 tons. New steel steamers aggregate 275,47 tons compared with 235,265 tons last year. : Included in the total new tonnage are 94 vessels, each of over I,000 tons, aggregating 315,062 tons, or two-thirds of the output. Of this large construction 41 steel steam- ers of 158,631 tons were built on the Great Lakes. The lakes have built for ocean trade two West India ffuit steamers, “Watson” and “Buckman” of 1,820 tons each; one cargo steamer, “Hugoma,”’ of 2,182 tons, and two large cargo steamers, “Minnetonka” and “Minnewaska,” of 5,270 tons each, cut in two to pass the Canadian canals. An accident in transit has delaved the arrival of these two at salt water. The output of completed steel steamers on the sea- board has been much below the indications of last July. The launching of nearly every large steamer has been delayed from three to eioht months and some are still. on the ways which by this time were to have been in oper- ation. The delays have been partly due to the steel strike UNITED STATES SHIPBUILDING RETURNS. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF NAVIGATION, June 30, 1902. The Bureau of Navigation reports 1,360 sail and steam vessels of 416,479 gross tons built in the United States ard officially numbered during the year ended June 30, 1902, as follows: WOOD. STEEL pee te TOTAL SalIL. STEAM. SAIL STEAM. No. | Gross. No. Gross. No. Gross No, Gross No Gross Atlantic and Gulf................ 583 | 65,265 299 | 19,021 8 9,223 62 | 102,647 943, 196,156 Porto Rico....... ........-- $5833 5 BONES clientes bare abet cru cacchuns webu errcaai 5 89 PACifiC .... 2. ee ee eee eee eee 47 | 26,172 go Q) 725) ailicsihe siltasce suave aca 2 10,707 139 46,604 PTA AT. Se SSG Aowlecs as ase scab I 9 I D3. I leterapersiciltaan's stavecs.e bliss wera one recat. ae 22 Great Lakes.............. 00.0085 8 200 65 BDA Q |e cwe tral sags ciehssoewe 52 | 161,797 125 | 165,239 Western Rivers...............--. 6 114 134 TOO Ter lec cette stele s 6 32 146 8,369 Total | sce vpibens pee weed 650 | 91,849 580 | 39,928 8 9,223, 122 | 275,479 || 1.360] 416 479 During the corresponding year ended June 30, Igor, 1,173 sail and steam vessels of 401,285 gross tons were built in the United States and officially numbered, as follows: WwooD | STEEL. { TOTAL, SAIL, STEAM. SAIL STEAM, No. | Gross. No, Gross. No Gross. No. Gross. No. G'oss. Atlantic and Gulf................ 460 | 74,721 212 | II, 12 | 13, BOT COs cacti e ais ccapeh vc oe ee IMs Ai piave! Mea uaa pattie ails Ba elas ae Ba eae Eee Bit aia oi PAM atniny: seam nenas sees 55 | 26,961 Ge) TTS aG nee relate wre share 6 7,607 T51 46.105 SET WA ie late css inter cigs Gus se Gps 4 Gell has aoall stworasenae ct fos, cesgil aig Grateereleg Hares waeik iaeetce ge we nie Sc oul ates Be saci ise care ieman es Great Lakes... .- 2.1... ee ee a 8 8 158 46 | 5,124 5 | 11,236 46 | 136,620 105 | 153.138 Western Rivers:...............5. 69 1,271 132 QpQOb alas) occ e wore I 562 182 11,094 MOEA rsa nie serene as 592 | 103,111 | 460 | 37,921 17 | 24,988 104 | 235 265 || t.172 401.285 Unrigged scows, canal boats, barges, etc., June 30, I902—No. 207—Tons, 57,502. “ oe “ce ae the above-mentioned channel generally falls to such a low stage that the larger craft come to anchor and await higher water. The approximate time of high water at Amherstburg can be forecast by ascertaining the time of extreme high water at Buffalo and applying a proper cor- rection thereto. Likewise, it may be remarked, there ap- pears to be no reason why dangerous seiches at Buffalo could not be predicted by the Weather Bureau officials at that station. The occurrence of a severe seiche can not be foretold many hours in advance, but sufficient time could generally be given to warn property interests along the wharves.” mH OS Admiralty—Injury to Seamen—Subsequent Neglect— Liability}—Libelant, a seamen had his arm broken through being struck with a capstan bar by the mate of the vessel, and the master, during the 11 days it was at sea before reaching port, required him to continue work to some extent, threatening to put him in irois unless he did so. The perfect rest necessary to insure a perfect reunion of the disunited parts of the. bone was thereby prevented, and the injury greatly aggravated. Libelant told the master that his arm was broken, and it became swollen and inflamed immediately, and remained constant- ly in that condition. Held, that though there was no fault on the part of the vessel as far as the blow itself \ i the master’s misconduct in compelling the libelant to continue work after he was injured, instead of permitting him to have the necessary rest. The Eva B. Hall, 114 Fed. Rep. (U. S.) 755. June 30, I90I—No. 536—Tons, 88,531. last summer, to the great demand for structural steel in all directions, to low ocean freights and the lack of new shipbuilding orders, which has left builders and owners without motive for haste. Last July 255,000 tons of ocean steel steamers were under construction or under contract, while at present only about 160,000 tons. are under con- struction and no new large seaboard contracts are re- ported. ae The year’s new steamers on the seaboard, however, include the trans-Atlantic liner “Kroonland,” 12,760 tons, the largest vessel ever built in this country; the Pacific mail liner “Korea,” 11,276 tons, of 19 knots, the largest and fastest merchant steamer on the Pacific; “Shawmut” and “Tremont,” of 9,606 tons each, built for the opening trade with the Philippines, and “Alaskan,” 8,671 tons for the New York-Hawaiian trade, the largest vessel ever launched in Pacific waters. The sister ships “Finland” and “Siberia” to the trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific mail liners named, have been launched and will be officially numbered and in operation in the early autumn. ‘I‘wo steamers, “Nevadan” and “Nebraskan,” of 4,408 tons each, have been added to, and two more of 8,000 tons each are building for the steam fleet to Hawaii around Cape Horn. The remaining nine new ocean steamers of 1,000 tons or more are for local coasting trades. Two steel full-rigged ships, “William P. Frye” and “Atlas,” 3,380 tons each, and five wooden barkentines, of about 1,100 tons each, have been added to our square- rigged fleet. New large wooden schooners number 20, of 34,471 gross tons.